Letters to the Editor from Jan. 25…

Thank you for your article on this critically important issue [‘“To touch or to scan? That is the question’”; Jan. 4; by Amy Kingsley]. It was refreshing to read an article by someone who was willing’ to interview more than 2-3 people in an effort to get more than minimal information.

I am writing to encourage you to consider following up on one aspect of your story that I find rather amazing:

‘“This is not headline news,’” Gilbert said. ‘“These are just gut-level, real world nightmares.’”

What he’s referring to is the need to generate potentially hundreds of ballot styles for different precincts in partisan primaries. With touch-screen voting machines, technicians program each machine to automatically generate the correct ballot. If the county switched over completely to optical scan, workers at early voting centers would have to select the correct paper ballot from an enormous number of options.

I live in Durham County. After reading various statements by Mr. Gilbert similar to the one above, I checked to see how many different ballot styles Durham County used in 2004’… a year with a large number of races for federal, state, and local offices, plus judiciary races and bond referenda. Durham County used a grand total of 8 different ballot styles in the primary and 11 different ballot styles in the general election.’ That’s an awfully long way from hundreds.

It’s true that Durham has about half as many voters as Guilford, but I still’ find it hard to understand why Guilford County would have to generate ‘“potentially hundreds of ballots styles for different precincts in partisan primaries.’” Especially since all municipal elections in Guilford are non-partisan. Perhaps it has something to do with the number of precincts. (Durham has 150,000 registered voters and 55 precincts).’ Or perhaps Mr. Gilbert is speaking in wildly hypothetical terms’… assuming that voting districts might be ‘“potentially’”’ redrawn, so that every precinct was a patchwork of different voting districts. Who knows.’ Perhaps Guilford is a county that has been gerrymandered to hell and gone, so that every precinct already IS a patchwork of different voting districts. Who knows? I sure don’t, but I would like to’….

Julie Omohundro

Durham

One of the King’s Men

Are you a Schmelviser [‘“Food fit for the King: Elvis Presley ate here’”; Jan. 18,; by Brian Clarey]? See the word on google.com for an explanation.

Maurice Colgan.

Dublin, Ireland

ed. note: From the Double-Tongued Word Wrester Dictionary : ‘“Schmelvisers are those who concentrate on Elvis’s diet, personal life and tragic death, rather than his outstanding contribution to popular music. They often schlep down to Memphis to see for themselves the mysterious attraction Graceland has on the world of tourism.’” And yes, I am one of them.

Lacks a rack

There is a great new coffee shop on Summit Avenue in the Aycock Neighborhood: Coffee at the Summit.

There is one problem: there is no YES! Weekly box outside.

Maura Payne Sheehe

Greensboro

ed. note: We’re on it.

Article comments from yesweekly.com

[‘“Either eat it or learn it- the ways of the skate park’”; June 7, 2005; by Brian Clarey] Hi, I just wanted to say I’m new here at Greensboro, and I wanted to know if you have alot of people that skate there, and if there are chic sk8ers that go there?

Lasondra Menchego

Greensboro

ed. note: To answer your question, yes, there is a sk8er population in the area. Check out 915 Skate Park on Lee Street and tell Cricket YES! Weekly sent ya.